1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a substitution fluid preparation for suppressing bacterial translocation (hereinafter referred to as BT) of intestinal bacteria into blood and, more particularly, to a substitution fluid preparation containing (R)-3-hydroxybutyric acid and/or its salts for suppressing BT in case of BT-induced septicemia caused by injury to intestinal mucosa of a patient.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As to applications for 3-hydroxybutyric acid, it is described in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 201746/'83 that a pharmaceutical composition containing (R)-3-hydroxybutyric acid, salts derived from this acid or salts of amino acids is effective for metabolism of and protection against cardiac muscle.
It is also described in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 502942/'86 that dialytic fluid better suited for the condition of patients than any conventional dialytic fluid is obtainable by adding a mixture of (R)3-hydroxybutyric acid salts and acetoacetic acid salts as ketone bodies to the dialytic fluid instead of sodium acetate.
It is also known that the ketone bodies ((R)-3-hydroxybutyric acid and acetoacetic acid) are excellent energy sources for peripheral blood vessel tissue and importance as energy sources for (R)-3-hydroxybutyric acid consists in suppression of protein catabolism and improvement of metabolic acidosis.
Further, as to a substitution fluid preparation comprising (R)-3-hydroxybutyric acid and its salts, in Japanese Laid- open Patent Publication No. 191212/'90 there is described an application example of 3-hydroxybutyric acid as a supplementing extracellular fluid and a maintaining substitution fluid and actual examples given, in which it was applied to patients in acute stage. Although, while in these examples it is emphasized that it is an excellent energy source for patients in actual stage, no description is made for other applications.
For patients with their vitality decreased due to grave disorders or diseases, a great problem for life-saving is that infection and septicemia are inevitable in the course of treatment. With, for example, grave post-operation patients, patients of autoimmunity, patients with tumor, traumatized patients, burned patients etc, it is often the case that decrease of vitality gives rise to septicemia to result in death. As to this problem, study has been made by many researchers. For example, Deitch E. A. et al. reported cases in which BT resulted through intestinal canal membrane (J. Trauma, 1985 25, 385-392). Nothing, however, has been written about an effective means for controlling this BT.